It’s the Little Things That Boost Curb Appeal

ReflectionImagesArticle2

“Curb appeal”. You’ve probably heard that term used before. It refers to how valuable and enticing your house looks from the outside, typically from the perspective of a potential buyer “standing on the curb”.

Many people focus on preparing the inside of their house for sale, and neglect preparing the outside. This is a mistake. Studies confirm that curb appeal has a huge influence over how quickly your house will sell, and for how much.

How do you improve curb appeal?

You don’t need to do a major landscaping renovation! In fact, small improvements often make the biggest difference… improvements you can easily do over a weekend.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Clean the outside of front windows. Make them sparkle!
  • Remove grass, weeds and other unwanted growth between driveway and walkway stones.
  • Prune shrubs and trim trees.
  • Re-sod bare spots on the lawn.
  • Edge the lawn. (A simple task that can have a dramatic visual impact.)
  • Water the flowerbed. (Flowers look brighter and more healthy within one hour of watering.)
  • Sweep the walkway and driveway. Rake the leaves.
  • Remove signs such as “Beware of dog” and “No solicitations”.
  • Check the welcome mat. If it’s worn or dirty, replace it.
  • Also, consider buying some attractive potted flowers to put near the entranceway. They are worth the investment.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to boost the curb appeal of your house. Just a little work and a few added details will make a big difference.

Need more ideas for increasing the “sales appeal” of your house? Call today.

Timing the Market. Should you?

Time to Sell - Clock

Is there a perfect time to sell your house? The short answer is: Whenever you’re ready.

Market “timing” isn’t the only factor that influences how quickly your house will sell or for how much.

The preparations you make before listing your house on the market will also have a big impact on your success. Consider these questions: How well is your house staged? Is it in a good state of repair? Is it priced correctly based on local market conditions? Is it listed and promoted so that all REALTORS® and their clients understand the advantages your house and community have to offer?

Sure, there are peaks and slower cycles throughout the year. And, there are economic periods when the real estate market is either heating up or cooling down. But you don’t have any control over those factors. Plus, you can never accurately predict exactly where the market is within each cycle.

What you can control is how well you prepare your house for sale so that it’s desirable to as many potential buyers as possible.

So when is the best time to sell your house? When you want or need to sell it.

Want to find out how much your house will sell for in today’s market? Call today.